The Couch
by Al's Waiter
Summary: Matrix and AndrAIa have a talk on a couch. Epilogue to 'An Eye for an Eye' of sorts, though it can stand by itself.


**The Usual Disclaimer:** ReBoot, Enzo Matrix and AndrAIa are property of [Mainframe Entertainment][1]. This is just an example for _"ReBoot Shorts"_ Contest and is not making me any money.

**Author's Notes:** Rom is a character I created for my fic An Eye for an Eye. This has not gone though a grammar check (boy! Nice example isn't it? ^_~).

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The Couch   
by [Al's Waiter][2]

Matrix opened his eyes and waited for the ceiling to come into focus. As he did, he wished he hadn't; the headache that was the result of a late night with Phong in the Principal Office, recalberating the new upgrade programs that had arrived the previous second, was pounding in his temples. He quickly shut his eyes again and waited for the pounding to cease. Lying silently on his back, he heard a soft knocking on the door of his apartment. He got up slowly, walked to the door and opened it. AndrAIa stood smiling in the doorway. 

"Morning Sparky!" 

Matrix forced a smile. "Morning AndrAIa." 

"Did you get all your work done last night?" 

Matrix nodded his head wearily. "Yeah, Phong and I finished just a few microseconds ago." 

AndrAIa's face clouded over. "Oh, I'm sorry, Love. I should've let you sleep. Did I wake you?" 

Matrix gave a relaxed smile. "No, I was awake before you knocked. Do you want to come in?" A small smile spread over the game sprites' face as she gently nodded.. Matrix stepped aside, making room for her entrance and then shut the door. AndrAIa sat down on Matrix's couch and put her head back, while Matrix walked into his kitchen. "Do you want a drink, Andy?" 

"No thanks!" she called. 

Matrix opened a bottle of pills and dumped two on the counter. He yanked open the fridge, took out a pitcher of energy shake and shut the door with his hip. Taking a glass from the cupboard, he filled it to the top with the liquid, and replaced the pitcher back in the fridge. He collected his medication for his headache and his drink and joined his girl friend in the livingroom. AndrAIa had her eyes closed as she rested on the couch. Matrix popped the pills into his mouth, took a sip of energy and swallowed; his headache would be gone soon. He set his glass down on the coffee table and sat down beside her. AndrAIa's eye's fluttered open when she felt the couch cushion beneath her shift. She silently looked at the sprite, remembering the young boy that she had grown up with. 

Matrix put his arm around her shoulders. "Tired?" he asked softly. 

AndrAIa nodded and leaned on Matrix's chest. "Babysitting Enzo is no easy task." she said quietly. 

"I could have told you that." Matrix chuckled. "How did you get stuck with him?" 

"Dot wanted to go out with Bob last night. Dot had asked Mouse if she would take care of Enzo for the evening, but Mouse said, 'No way, Sugah! Ah'm not goin' ta spend all night pryin' that boy off da walls and ceilin'. I like ya Dot, but not that much.'" AndrAIa said, mimicking the hackers accent and making Matrix laugh. "So," she continued, "Mouse went out with Ray last night and you were busy working with Phong." 

"What about Hexadecimal? Wasn't she free?" 

AndrAIa gave Matrix a funny look. "I know Hex is one of us now, but I don't think that Dot would trust Enzo in Hex's care just yet." 

"But that way, Enzo would have been on better behaviour..." 

"Only because he'd probably be cowering in the corner with fright; he doesn't trust her yet and you know it." she interrupted as she playfully pinched the renegade's side, causing him to flinch. "You remember when you were scared of her, don't you?" 

Matrix remained silent. 

"Don't you." AndrAIa prompted. 

"I remember." he said finally as he hugged the female sprite gently. "I remember." 

AndrAIa let out a burst of laughter. "Remember when your voice was changing? It was cracking all over the place." 

"Aw, Andy. Why did you bring that up?" Matrix winced. "You know I hated that part of growing up." 

"I know, but I just found it so funny when you were trying to sound threatening to the virus' and your voice cracking the whole time. 'Mercy? To a virus? Never!'" AndrAIa giggled as she caused her voice to crack every second syllable. 

"Andy..." Matrix complained. "Please?" 

AndrAIa snickered but consented. "Alright. Alright." she paused. "Remember that necklace Rom bought for me that you gave me?" AndrAIa asked. 

"Yeah..." Matrix said thoughtfully...then stopped. "You knew it was Rom who bought it? How did you find out?" 

"Enzo, you don't think I thought you bought it, don' t you? You didn't have any money at that time and we never did have much while we were game hopping." 

"I know Love." Matrix smirked. "I was just hopping you wouldn't have thought about it much at that time." 

"I'm a game sprite, Enzo," she elbowed him in the ribs "not basic." 

"I'm sorry, AndrAIa.." he apologised.. "I guess _I_ wasn't thinking. You don't happen to have a shoehorn so I can fit both feet in my mouth?" 

AndrAIa laughed. "It's alright Enzo, I understand. You're just tired." Suddenly she turned serious. "I wonder how Rom is..." 

Matrix frowned. "Turbo said that Bob and I were the only guardians that weren't infected by Daemon. That means that Rom must be viral by now." 

"Maybe he's fighting the infection like Turbo is. There's a chance that he's still on our side." Matrix exhaled slowly. "You're right. I'm sure he's fine. Besides, he had Bob as a teacher; he's going to beat that infection." 

AndrAIa sat up. "But, if he's completely infected, it's out job to save him; he would do the same for us." 

Silence fell over Matrix and AndrAIa; they were both thinking of their friend. Rom had helped them in their greatest time of need; right after Enzo and AndrAIa were first lost in the Net. "Soon we'll have the means of defeating Daemon." Matrix finally said as he squeezed AndrAIa a little tighter. 

AndrAIa inhaled deeply. "You know...we have it pretty good, Enzo." she said changing the subject. Matrix turned and looked at her. "What do you mean Andy?" 

The game sprite returned her lovers gaze. "We made it home and it was restored. Our family is safe because Megabyte is trapped in the Web and everything is fine." AndrAIa yawned and rested her head on Matrix's chest again. 

The renegade layed his head against the back wall. "But Daemon is still out there." he frowned. "Still infecting systems and controlling the guardians..." 

"Just try and relax, Lover; try and enjoy the moment." She reached out and took hold of Matrix's hand in her own. "We're not at war now and we still have each other after all these hours." 

Matrix stifled a yawn as he nodded. "I'm so glad I have you. I don't know where I've be without you." he kissed the top of her head. "...well...I'd probably be nullified." 

"Oh Enzo," AndrAIa sighed. "You give yourself so little credit." 

"But it's true and you know it." he smiled. "If you hadn't been watching Mouse as she transferred the rebooting information onto your icon, you wouldn't have known how to transfer the game sprite data onto my icon; you saved my life." 

AndrAIa blushed slightly as he tilted her head up and kissed her fully on the lips. As the two sprites backed away, they smiled sweetly at the other. AndrAIa returned her head sleepily to Matrix's chest and he layed his head on hers. He pulled her closer toward himself and she quietly let him. 

"I love you, Enzo Matrix." she whispered as she drifted off to sleep. 

Matrix kissed her forehead. "I love you too, AndrAIa and I'll always will." he closed his eyes and soon both sprites were embracing each other as they slept on the couch. 

~The End~ 

   [1]: http://www.mainframe.ca
   [2]: mailto:alswaiter@home.com



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